Foot harmony last



June 1, 1943. R. F. LAFFERH'Y 2,320,732

FOOT HARMONY LAST Filed Aug. 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR:

g ATTORNEY June 1, 1943. LAFFERTY 2,320,732

FOOT HARMONY LAS T Filed Afig. 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 ZTTORNEY Patented June 1, 1943 FOOT HARMONY LAST Robert F. Lafferty, Spreydon, Christchurch, New Zealand Application August 27, 1941, Serial No. 408,460

In New Zealand November 14, 1940 5 Claims.

My invention relates to wooden lasts employed in the manufacture of shoes.

Heretofore, when the sole of the shoe has been constructed with a welt, or as a turn-sole,

otherwise known as a pump, the last employed has presented a wooden under-surface to the insole of the shoe to permit of nails being driven into such last for the purpose of temporarily holding the leather or other material in place.

In all other forms of bottom construction, such as a riveted-sole, machine-sewn, Littleway process or cemented-sole, the last has been provided at its underside with an all-over metal plate which serves to receive and clinch the rivets, nails, or staples driven through the material for the purpose of attaching the sole, or as a basis for fastening the same together.

Consequently, it has been necessary to duplicate the lasts to provide one set for use with the first mentioned methods and a second set for use with the remaining forms of construction.

In cases where the last has been provided with an all-over plate, the latter has presented a plain surface with a slight camber from side to side.

It is the object of my invention chiefly to provide a last capable of use in the construction of shoes by any of the methods mentioned, thereby avoiding the necessity for duplicating the lasts and enabling rivets to be employed, if desired, in connection with the first mentioned methods, while a further object being to provide a last for this purpose adapted to'produce in the insole of the shoe, at certain desired parts, special formations whereby such insole will be caused to conform closely to the foot of the wearer and so afford an even and comfortable support therefor.

In carrying these objects into effect, according to my present invention, there are provided and recessed into the underside or sole of the last, to lie flush with the surface of the wood, two comparatively narrow strips of metal which extend parallel with but at an interval or margin from the two lateral edges of such sole from the joints, or parts at the forward termination of the waist, to the toe where such strips are preferably united in a toe-plate.

At their other or rear ends also the said strips are preferably united in a plate overlying the waist portion from the said joints to the forward edge of the heel and which plate, in common with the strips as already mentioned, preferably lies at an interval or margin from the two lateral edges of the last.

Shoes must be fitted by arch length, that is, the distance from the heel to the ball-joint.

Shoes are not to be fitted by the foot length, that is, the distance from the back of the heel to the forwardmost point of the toe. this is that the feet of difierent people may be of the same length, but that does not mean that the distance from the back of the heel to the ball-joint is the same for difierent feet of the different people.

There are shoe lasts for short-toed feet; and shoe lasts for long-toed feet. The correct last for a foot is one that accommodates the balljoint in its proper place and leaves enough space ahead of toes so that they are not cramped or twisted. Feet which are incorrectly fitted cause the toes to be cramped and twisted, thereby stopping ventilation and creating excessive perspiration, which causes rotting of inner soles, linings,

Short shoes cause enlarged.

and upper leather. great-toe joints and bunions, as well as general foot discomfort. Each step strains the foot-arch. Without support under its entire arch-span, the foot sags down, nerves and blood vessels are pinched, interfering with circulation, and trouble follows.

Incorrectly fitted shoes are those where the arch base of the shoe and the ball-joint of the feet do not meet at the same point. In shoes correctly fitted, the arch base of the shoe and the ball-joint of the foot meet at the same point. The foot arch rests comfortably on the shank of the shoe for its full length. The foot of the shoe bend at the same place, thereby there is no sagging. Toes also are straight. There is ample space in front of the toes so that they are not crowded and permitting ample ventilation. Such feet in properly fitting shoes will be comfortable, and the shoes will keep their shape.

Preferably alsothe said plate, at a point near its forward end at or about its mid-width part, is indented into the underlying surface of the Wood to provide a recess adapted to receive the forward end of the shank of the shoe, thereby ensuring the correct locating of such shank and causing such forward end of the shank to impart to the insole of the sole at this part a slight upcurve whereby such insole willconform to the foot and correctly support the archv thereof.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be more fully described and explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- I Fig. 1 is a View of the underside of a last made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the metal insert placed inFig.1.

The reason for r A, which has the general configuration of afoot, v

and the major portion of which is made of wood.

The bottom of the last A has the general configuration of the bottom of the human foot formed therein. The last is split into two parts at the heel and shank or shank junction point, and the shank portion and the heel portion are suitably held by a spring, which is common in the prior art. A metal insert, generally designated as B, is placed into the arch and ball of the foot portions of the last. The insert B has a metal rand l2 on the forepart of the last A and a solid portion under the instep or arch Ill. The insert B has its edges I2A, I2B spaced from the edge of the wood last A--this spacing leaves the wood bore to allow temporary securing nails or tacks to pass through the upper of the s oe into this border spaces ISA, |5B between the outer edges of plate B, and the edge of the last, whereby the nails may be embedded into the wood to secure the shoe upper firmly to the last and whereby'the nails may be easily removed.

The plate A at the toe portion 14 of the last is solid, and the outer edge I5 of the toe plate I 4 runs to the edge of the last, as at I6. Hence. the plate A being kept back from the edge I6 allows the last to be usedas a welt or turn last as well as a last used in the cement processes. Because there is no plate in the center of the forepart, as at l8, any form of cambre, such as counter-sinking of the inner sole for the'bottom of the foot, is feasible at either the large 1 toe or the ball of the foot.

The above result would not be possible to obtain it the plate extended entirely over the forepart of the last.

Referring now to the modification of the invention as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, there are provided, and recessed into the underside or sole 7 of the last to lie flush with the surface of the strips are preferably united in a toe-plate, as

According to the invention also, the said strips 22, at their other or rear terminations, are preferably united in a plate 28 overlying the waist portion of the last,- that is to say, the portion extending from the said joints to the heel portion 2! and which plate preferably terminates at an interval or margin from the lateral edges 22! of such waist portion.

Preferably also the said plate, at a point near its forward end at which-it unites with the strips 22, and at or about its mid-width part, is intended into the underlying surface of the wood to produce at this'portiona recess or concavity 29 of the desired form to receive the forward end of the shank 30 of the shoe.

In operation, the arrangement is such that the said strips 2 afford the necessary metal surface for clinching the rivets, nails, or staples employed in the construction of the sole when the latter is of the riveted type, or machine-sewn, or cemented-sole, or formed by the Littleway process, while the marginal portions 23 of the wood, lying to the outer sides of such strips, will be available to receive the nails employed in temporarily holding the material in place when the sole is constructed with a welt, or as a turnsole or pump.

It will be appreciated also that the wooden surface of the sole of the last, being exposed at the part, as at 3| between the strips 22, may be modified to reproduce, in the insole 32 of the shoe, any desired special formations of the surface of such insole.

Thus, for example as here shown in Fig. 5, such portion may be formed or provided at the required points with protrusions, as at 33 and 34 of any desired forms to reproduce in the insole 32 corresponding depressions, as at 35 and 36, Fig. 6, to accommodate respectively the ball of the feet and the toe of the wearer. In attaining this effect, the insole, at the parts coinciding with the said protrusions, will preferably be thinned or hollowed at its reverse side in order that such insole may readily assume the said depressed formations when manipulated upon the last in the customary operation of building the shoe,

The provision of the recess 29 to receive the forward end of the shank of the shoe, as already mentioned, serves to ensure that such shank is placed to extend truly in a longitudinal direction with the shoe, thus avoiding a defect which is otherwise liable to occur in the building of the shoe, while such recess also places the forward end of the shank at such a level as to impart to the insole at this point, as at 31, Fig. 6, a slight up-curve or prominence thereby causing such insole to harmonize with the shape of the foot and correctly support the arch thereof. It will be seen, therefore, that the invention provides a universal last capable of use in the building of a sole by'any of the various methods that may be employed, while such last. further affords meanswhereby accuracy in the building of the shoe may beensured and special features provided in the form and fashion of the insole to accurately and comfortably support the foot of the wearer.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wooden shoe last characterized by the provision of two comparatively narrow strips of metal recessed into the underside or sole of the last to lie flush with the surface of the Wood and to extend parallel with but at an interval or.

margin from the lateral edges of such sole at the part from the joints to the toe.

2. A wooden shoe last characterized by the provision of two comparatively narrow strips of metal recessed into-the underside or soleof the last to lie flush with the surface of the wood and to extend parallel with but at an interval ormargin from the lateral edges of such sole at' the part from the joints to the toe, the said strips being united together at the front portion to form a toe-plate.

3. A wooden shoe last, as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said strips at their forward terminations are united in a toe-plate, the rear terminations of said strips being united in a plate overlying the shank portion of said last from the joints to the heel portion thereof.

4. A wooden shoe last, as defined in claim 1,

characterized in that said strips at their rear 10 terminations are united in a plate overlying the shank portion of said last from the joints to the heel portion thereof, said shank covering plate being indented near its forward end into the underlying surface of the wood to provide in such plate a recess to receive the forward end of the shank of the shoe.

5. A wooden shoe last characterized by the provision of two comparatively narrow strips of metal recessed into the underside or sole of the last to lie flush with the surface of the wood and to extend parallel with but at an interval or margin from the lateral edges of such sole at the part from the joints to the toe, a protrusion in the part of the sole lying between the strips whereby a corresponding depression will be reproduced in the insole of the shoe.

ROBERT F. LAF'FERTY. 

